Wire-stretcher.



F. L. REED. WIRE STRETGHER. APPLICATION FILED AUG.14,1908.

Patented Apr. 20, 1909.

I Witnuno rum (0-. WunmamN. 04

! Alp IRIS FRANK L. REED, OF GUTHRIE CENTER, IOWA.

WIRE-STRETGHER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 20, 1909.

Application filed August 14, 1908. Serial No. 448,554.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK L. iEED, a citizen of the United States, residing at Guthrie Center, in the county of Guthrie, State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Wire-Stretchers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to wire stretchers of the class adapted to remain permanently connected, and to exert a constant uniform tension upon the confronting ends of two wires, and also adapted to be adjusted to increase or decrease the tension, and which will yield to pressure applied by the contraction in warm weather and to take up the slack which would otherwise occur in event of the wire expanding in cold weather.

The improved device may be applied for various purposes, but is more particularly applicable to maintaining a uniform strain upon the strand members of Wire fences.

The invention consists in certain novel features of construction as hereafter shown and described and then specifically pointed out in the claim, and in the drawings illustrating the preferred embodiment of the invention, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improved device applied. Fig. 2 is a plan view. 7

The improved device comprises a U shaped frame having spaced sides 1011 and a curved end 12. A loose ring 13 is engaged with the curved end 12 of the frame and the pin 14 is connected through the spaced sides intermediate the ends of the frame as shown. Mounted for rotation through the spaced sides near their free ends is a drum 15 having a wrench head 16 extending beyond one of its journals, so that the drum may be rotated by the application of a Wrench or other im plement. Connected to the drum 15, preferably to one of its journals, and partaking of its motion is an arm 17 having a hook 18 at its free end. Connected at one end to the pin 14 is a spring 19 having an eye 20 at its free end adapted to detachably engage the hook 18. One end of a wire represented at 21 is passed through the ring 13 and connected to the pin 14 in any suitable manner, and the other end of the wire represented at 22 is connected to the drum 15 so that when the drum is rotated by the application of a wrench or other implement upon the head 16, the wire will be wound upon the drum and thus impart a strain thereto, this strain being as great as may be required. Vi hen the requisite strain has been attained the spring 19 is connected by its eye 20 with the hook 18 and thus holds the tension which has been obtained yieldably.

i/Vith a device arranged and applied as shown and described in event of the contraction of the wire in Warm weather or from other sources the spring19 will yield and thus prevent breakage of the wire, and then in event of the expansion of the wire in cold weather the spring will automatically take up any slack'which might otherwise occur. The strain is thus maintained at a uniform degree automatically, and therefore does not require the attention of an attendant to maintain the requisite tension.

The improved device is simple in construction, can be inexpensively manufactured and applied wherever devices of this character are required. The improved device may be manufactured of any required size and of any required strength to apply it to wires of various sizes but as before stated is more specifically adapted for application to the strand wires of fences to maintain the same at a uniform tension and prevent sagging in cold Weather.

What is claimed, is

A device of the class described comprising a U shaped frame having spaced sides and a loose ring engaging the frame at its bend, a pin extending through the spaced sides inter mediate the ends, a drum mounted for rotation through thespaced sides near their free ends and with a wrench head upon one of its journals, an arm carried by said drum and partaking of its motion and with a hook at its free end, spring connected by one end tosaid pin and engaged at the other end with said hook, one end of a wire adapted to be 100 passed through said ring and connected with said pin, and the other end of a wire connected to said drum and adapted to be Wound thereon.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature, 105 

